“What Makes an Application Stand Out?”

Posted on November 4, 2011 ·

by Elizabeth Cavallari

“What makes an application stand out?” We hear this question a lot from prospective law students, and there are a lot of components to the answer. At William & Mary there is no magic formula or benchmark that we expect all applicants to reach: we do a full-file review of all elements of your application (GPA, LSAT, work experience and extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, and personal statement) so we can fully evaluate you as a candidate for admission. Having said that, there are some traits that really mark potential applicants as people who will become successful law students and lawyers, and the way that these traits show up in applications can really vary!

Oral Communication

The ability to articulate yourself well and persuasively make your case will be important to your success as a student and as a practitioner after graduation. How can you showcase your oral communication abilities in your application? A number of activities, including participation in Mock Trial, leadership roles in campus organizations or Greek Life, employment projects, collegiate or recreational sports, and countless others can demonstrate your ability to be a persuasive speaker. Additionally, oral communication is as much about speaking as it is listening. Working with clients and co-workers requires listening critically, taking key information from conversations, and utilizing what you have learned. Think about the experiences that have developed and honed those skills, and make sure that we see evidence of that in your application

Written Communication

It shouldn’t be a surprise that lawyers and law students have to write often and write well, so we expect a high level of writing proficency from our candidates:even though legal writing may seem a bit like a foreign language during your first weeks of law school, you still should have a strong foundation from which to build. Prospective students still in school should take courses that develop your objective and persuasive writing. Utilize your school’s writing center and other resources at your disposal. For those in the work force, embrace opportunities to write in your job (beyond writing another quick email); volunteer for projects that require heavy writing and will stretch and challenge you.

Research

Knowing how to utilize case law, statutes, administrative regulations, and other sources of binding and persuasive authority is instrumental in the legal profession. What research experience do you have? Your research background does not necessarily have to include research with a faculty member (particularly if you’re not passionate about the topic or subject). Did a class spark an interest that led to an independent study or thesis? Have you been driven to learn more about a topic than you learned in a lecture? Have you started a new project at work that required you to critically examine previous efforts? Make sure your application reflects the research you have done and indicates your ability to successfully transition those skills into the arena of legal research.

While we try to discern these three skills, this doesn’t mean that we ONLY look at those abilities while reviewing your application. Make sure to highlight your abilities in oral communication, written communication, and research, but remember that these skills constitute just one piece of the puzzle. William & Mary Law School would be boring if all of our students were cookie cutter! We take shaping a diverse and interesting class seriously, and we want to get to know you through your application and see how you can help make it even better!